Fight sticks

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When TFH comes out, I wanna be able to use a fight stick for it (as well as any other fighting games I plan on playing in the near future). I'm just not satisfied using a controller any more, it really strains my hands, and I hear using one of them is easier for fighting games. However, I've never used a fight stick before, and I've found soo many online, it's hard to choose from them.

Does anybody have any recommendations for fight sticks? And any advice for practice when using one of them?

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My favorite fightstick is the old Madcatz TEs that came out with SF4. (I own a round 2 version). But its pretty hard to find one of those from what I heard.

The Hori HRAP4 are pretty good (I own one also). I think they are normally $150, but there have been sales and its dropped below $100 a few times. Plus if you get the PS4 version, you have a stock for SFV.

Backers' Beta Tester

Be warned that when you use an arcade stick for the first time, you're going to have to learn how to do inputs all over again. It took me a few months for me to be as comfortable on a stick as I was on pad. Now a decade later, if I try to use a pad, I feel like I'm sawing my fingers off. Switching to stick is not some panacea for execution. At the very least, though, you'll never have to deal with sore thumbs again.

If you're on a budget and you don't have gigantic Shaq hands, then take a gander at Hori's Fighting Stick Mini. It's incredibly cheap at forty dollars and Hori generally uses good parts. The problem is that the thing is tiny. I'm talking barely larger than a DVD case tiny. But if that doesn't bother you, it's going to be a good deal.

I've been using the Madcatz fight pad but it always break on me after a year use so I was kind of force to use fight stick myself. I'm still having trouble adjusting. But I highly recommend getting a dual modded fight stick for obvious reasons.

Crowdfund Backer

My favorite fightstick is the old Madcatz TEs that came out with SF4. (I own a round 2 version). But its pretty hard to find one of those from what I heard.

The Hori HRAP4 are pretty good (I own one also). I think they are normally $150, but there have been sales and its dropped below $100 a few times. Plus if you get the PS4 version, you have a stock for SFV.

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The Hori is actually one I've been looking at quite frequently. SFV is what has me leaning towards this one a bit. But I'm not sure if it'll actually work on pc as well, since I still wanna have one for when TFH comes out.

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The Hori is actually one I've been looking at quite frequently. SFV is what has me leaning towards this one a bit. But I'm not sure if it'll actually work on pc as well, since I still wanna have one for when TFH comes out.

Backers' Beta Tester

I am fairly ignorant when it comes to fight sticks and what not as I do not get very deep into fighting games, so I feel compelled to ask as to what are some differences from controllers and the fight sticks, as well as what makes one better than the other based on all of your experience and knowledge.

Crowdfund Backer

Be warned that when you use an arcade stick for the first time, you're going to have to learn how to do inputs all over again. It took me a few months for me to be as comfortable on a stick as I was on pad. Now a decade later, if I try to use a pad, I feel like I'm sawing my fingers off. Switching to stick is not some panacea for execution. At the very least, though, you'll never have to deal with sore thumbs again.

If you're on a budget and you don't have gigantic Shaq hands, then take a gander at Hori's Fighting Stick Mini. It's incredibly cheap at forty dollars and Hori generally uses good parts. The problem is that the thing is tiny. I'm talking barely larger than a DVD case tiny. But if that doesn't bother you, it's going to be a good deal.

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I'll keep that in mind. And I don't think my hands are actually big, so I'll definitely look into the hori mini some more (my budget is something I gotta consider anyways).

Backers' Beta Tester

I am fairly ignorant when it comes to fight sticks and what not as I do not get very deep into fighting games, so I feel compelled to ask as to what are some differences from controllers and the fight sticks, as well as what makes one better than the other based on all of your experience and knowledge.

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An arcade stick has some advantages and disadvantages when compared to the d-pad on a controller. Fight sticks generally have a much easier time hitting non-continuous directions, so something like f, b, f + P (an input commonly used in King of Fighters games) or diagonal charges (i.e. Guile or Vega's supers/ultras in Street Fighter). It's also a lot easier to hit diagonals cleanly thanks to the way they're constructed - I can't do a crouch dash in Dead or Alive (the input is simply df, df) on a pad. On the other hand, pads require much less physical movement when hitting continuous directions, so motions like 360s and 720s are actually faster on a d-pad, assuming you know how to do it.

At the end of the day, though, it just comes down to using what you're most comfortable with. Like I said, picking up an arcade stick is not going to magically make your execution better.

Backers' Beta Tester

I am fairly ignorant when it comes to fight sticks and what not as I do not get very deep into fighting games, so I feel compelled to ask as to what are some differences from controllers and the fight sticks, as well as what makes one better than the other based on all of your experience and knowledge.

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First, let me say this:

Playing which ever one feels more comfortable when starting off will be the biggest factor.

If you have been playing on pad, tried to switch to stick bit it just didn't feel right, then stick with pad until you are ready. Playing on something you have to fight with isn't good. You're already having to fight your opponent. Don't add to that.

So stick vs pad has been a debate for a long time now. Fighting games have top level players who play on both so anyone who says one is definitely better is lying (unless they are talking something so very specific it might be a factor).

With pad you have the familiarity of a peripheral that you've probably been using for years for other games. The buttons can generally be controlled with less fingers than when using a stick. They are a lot easier to pack and carry around when going to a tournament. The downside is that they tend to break faster than a fightstick, and repairing them might not be as viable as just buying a new pad. Also if you are going to tournaments you might have to worry about 1.) Desynching them after you get done playing if it's wireless 2.) Losing them 3.) Outright ban if you use wireless.

Fightstick are more common. They require more fingers generally and (can't positively confirm) you might actually be able to get button inputs faster than on pad. While the upfront cost is going to be more, you have the ability to repair the stick with new parts if it breaks. Downside is that they are bigger and heavier than a pad, so you will have to carry it around at a tournament. Customization is an option with stick, but that also means you have more of an opprotjnity to spend money making changes.

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I really do kind of wish that someone would make a widely available and robust Saturn style pad as that's what I've more or less always played FGs on. The Madkatz ones are okay in feel but they break so easily that they can't be depended on.

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I've owned a fightstick (HRAP4 Kai) for over a year and I've used it exclusively. I've experimented with a fightpad, (Hori Commander) and simulated hitbox layout utilizing my keyboard, but I always go back to stick.

With the pad and the keyboard I found myself dropping a lot of inputs. Using the pad for extended periods of time put a lot of strain on my thumb, especially for characters that require a lot of Dragon-Punch and Quarter-Circle inputs. On a keyboard I found that I couldn't consistently input the keys required to perform the Dragon-Punch/Shoryuken inputs.

(if you plan on getting the HRAP4 Kai I suggest either replacing the stock spring, and actuator or getting a new joystick to replace the stock one)

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If you're on a budget and you don't have gigantic Shaq hands, then take a gander at Hori's Fighting Stick Mini. It's incredibly cheap at forty dollars and Hori generally uses good parts. The problem is that the thing is tiny. I'm talking barely larger than a DVD case tiny. But if that doesn't bother you, it's going to be a good deal.

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I have one of these and you're right,they generally use good parts, even for this. But one problem I can see affecting people learning how to use an arcade stick is the fact that it is really, really light. It's probably my only problem with it.

@SquiddyWiddy As for you, arcade sticks are really "get what you pay for" kind of things most of the time (outside of that Hori mentioned above). But there is always the option to get a relatively cheap arcade stick and replacing the stock parts (buttons, joystick) with the good stuff like Sanwa or Seimitsu (do the research first of course, there are differences between brands). This is a relatively advanced option in terms of what to get, but there are tons of tutorials on messing with an arcade stick on youtube. One of my friends learned how to build his own and regularly does maintenance and modifications on mine after learning off of Youtube.

Backers' Beta Tester

If anyone ever wants a Fight stick, I highly reccomend a Qanba Q4 RAF. It works with PS3, Xbox and PC. You can take it to just about ANY tournament venue and expect it to work! plus it's easy to customize!

As example, check out mine!:

It prices around 250$ if I recall correctly, but I've had mine for three years so trust me, it's well worth it!

Staff MemberMane6 QA

I really do kind of wish that someone would make a widely available and robust Saturn style pad as that's what I've more or less always played FGs on. The Madkatz ones are okay in feel but they break so easily that they can't be depended on.

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I hear this a lot, but I've never really experienced this. I've been using the SFxT MadCatz Fightpad ever since they came out, and they don't break on me. Eventually the buttons get squishy and I buy a new one because I rather have more tactile feebdack on button presses, but I've only had one of them actually break on me. And that's because the cable got bent the wrong way and stopped working.

I need something relatively cheap though. Online listing have it around $100. Since it's my first time testing out a fight stick, I don't wanna end up sinking too much money in it.

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MadCatz is coming out with the Fightstick Alpha soon. It retails for $80 and is a pretty good starter stick if you don't wanna drop a lot of money. Despite it's size, the buttons and the stick are spaced identically to the more expensive MadCatz sticks. There's just less chasis surrounding them.

Crowdfund Backer

MadCatz is coming out with the Fightstick Alpha soon. It retails for $80 and is a pretty good starter stick if you don't wanna drop a lot of money. Despite it's size, the buttons and the stick are spaced identically to the more expensive MadCatz sticks. There's just less chasis surrounding them.

Backers' Beta Tester

If anyone ever wants a Fight stick, I highly reccomend a Qanba Q4 RAF. It works with PS3, Xbox and PC. You can take it to just about ANY tournament venue and expect it to work! plus it's easy to customize!

As example, check out mine!:

It prices around 250$ if I recall correctly, but I've had mine for three years so trust me, it's well worth it!

Backers' Beta Tester

I hear this a lot, but I've never really experienced this. I've been using the SFxT MadCatz Fightpad ever since they came out, and they don't break on me. Eventually the buttons get squishy and I buy a new one

Backers' Beta Tester

(if you're looking to build a cheap fightstick/hitbox for the ps3/pc you should check out the zero delay board on FocusAttack)

(these websites also sell tournament legal convertors (Brook Super Converters) if you want to use your controller/fightstick/hitbox on a next gen or previous gen console. I recommend not using the cronus max because, not only are they illegal at tournaments (because there's software that lets you put mods on it such as rapid fire in FPS games), but you're required to pair the controller for the console you want to use every time you plug it in.)

Staff MemberMane6 QA

Oh. No, I just buy a new controller. The pads were $30 a pop at the time. There's no real way to replace the button, anyway; they don't sell replacement parts separately for the pads the way you can get replacement parts for a stick. And when the buttons start to feel squishy, it's not actually the buttons themselves. What gets less responsive is the rubber backing behind the button.

The actual buttons have no tension to them, they just sit loose in the faceplate of the controller chasis. The controller is discontinued now, but you can still find some of the PS3 versions that aren't marked up. So when I can, I buy a PS3 pad, then when my 360 pad stops working, I gut the PS3 pad I have in storage for replacement parts.

Backers' Beta Tester

Oh. No, I just buy a new one. The pads were $30 a pop at the time. There's no real way to replace the button, anyway; they don't sell replacement parts separately for the pads the way you can get replacement parts for a stick.

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My bad, I thought you were talking about a fightstick. I probably shouldn't be skimming at 12 in the morning...

Staff MemberMane6 QA

My bad, I thought you were talking about a fightstick. I probably shouldn't be skimming at 12 in the morning...

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Haha, no problem. I figured you weren't following when you started asking about microswitches. I got hype for a second; I thought someone was making a fightpad with microswitch buttons that I didn't know about.

Backers' Beta Tester

Haha, no problem. I figured you weren't following when you started asking about microswitches. I got hype for a second; I thought someone was making a fightpad with microswitch buttons that I didn't know about.

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I believe PDP made a fightpad like that, but a lot of people disliked it, if I remember correctly.

Staff MemberMane6 QA

I believe PDP made a fightpad like that, but a lot of people disliked it, if I remember correctly.

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Yeah, PDP made the MvC3 pad and the recent MKX pad. Both of them used microswitches. But the buttons weren't any good because they were flush with the controller and didn't have any travel time when you pressed the button, so it had no feebdack.

Backers' Beta Tester

The Mad Catz TEs (any of them) are some of the most customizable sticks on the market. Problem is, they're pricey. But here's the one I multi-console modded last year (PS360+ ftw) so you have an idea (plus I wanna show off ):

I had a buddy put the top art together and recreate the bottom art with a few changes (couldn't find an original that was hi-res enough and I really wanted to include a Fighting is Magic tribute) because I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to photo editing. I do better with the modding process (solderless for now since I lack a soldering iron).

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Replaced all the Sanwa buttons with Seimitsu buttons (because I legitimately can't stand Sanwas. At all.), replaced the balltop and got the custom art done.
It's my backup stick for now, but I'm proud of it.Now I just gotta wait for the artist that I'm working with to get back to me for my TE2 artwork.

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I would not complain at all, I freakin' love fightsticks in general and the things that people do to mod them is honestly, to me, awe-inspiring. Different people from different places with different interests, all bringing their stuff together through a thing that binds us all together, fighting games.